Advocating for Plants
Whether you are a non-profit organization or a private citizen wanting to get involved, advocating and lobbying on behalf of plants can help effect change at the local, state, and national level.
Non-Profit Advocacy
Non-profit organizations can participate in advocacy activities but are limited in their lobbying activities due to their 501(c)(3) status. Any non-profit wanting to get involved in advocacy should contact their tax lawyer to ensure any activities fall within legal guidelines.
You can download and/or distribute the flyer located in the Advocacy Resources section for additional guidance and information. We also recommend referring to The Connection: Strategies for Creating and Organizing 501(c)(3)s, 501(c)(4)s, and Political Organizations by B. Holly Schadler as reference, which is linked below for download.
- Educating members of the public, agencies, and legislators about issues impacting organization's mission
- Canvassing the public on issues
- Publishing legislative scorecards and preparing candidate questionnaires
- Advocating in connection with party platform issues
- Conducting nonpartisan get-out-the-vote activities, voter registration drives, and voter education activities
Private Citizen Advocacy
Individuals can participate in advocacy activities to support plant conservation. Some examples of ways private citizens can advocate on behalf of plants are listed below. You can also download and/or distribute the flyer in the Advocacy Resources section for additional guidelines and information.
- Introduce, vote for, or vote against specific proposed legislation
- Write or add signature to drafted letter regarding proposed legislation
- Contact another legislator in higher-ranking position
- Hold a meeting or town hall regarding issue
- Address House or Senate about issue
- Submit a statement to Congressional Record or official state record of legislative action
Proposed Legislation
These are some of the recent pieces of proposed plant conservation legislation that
are currently in progress in the House and/or Senate.
To find out who your congressmen/women are for your district, search your address here.
Recovering America's Wildlife Act
S. 1149
The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act will provide states, territories, and tribes with $1.39 billion annually to catalyze proactive, on-the-ground, collaborative efforts to restore essential habitat and implement conservation strategies.
Native Plant Species Pilot Program Act
H.R. 1548
S. 557
The Native Plant Species Pilot
Program Act will create a pilot
program to utilize native plant
materials in projects within
National Park Service units to
protect native plant biodiversity.
North American Grasslands Conservation Act of 2022
S. 4639
"The North American Grasslands Conservation Act of 2022 will address important conservation, management, and research issues related to grasslands."
-Southeastern Grasslands Initiative
Advocacy Resources
Find your Members in the U.S. Congress
Click here to search by address for your congressmen and women.
The Connection
Click here to download The Connection: Strategies for Creating and Operating 501(c)(3)s, 501(c)(4)s, and Political Organizations.
Recovering America’s Wildlife Act Plant Conservationist Toolkit
Click here to see help the National Wildlife Federation pass the most important wildlife conservation bill seen in decades. Resources include talking points, state-specific resources, media materials, and specific tools for hunters, birders, and gardeners.
Flyers
The below flyers were developed by the SE PCA and the Center for Plant Conservation (CPC). They are available for download as educational materials for non-profit organizations and private citizens.
Note: the flyers contain the same information but feature different photos and themes. Click on the image to download.
